


Red Strings

by wordsofobsidian



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, Past Lives, Probably Violence, Soulmates, angst for sure!, but it should pay off!, definitely some steamy scenes, did you know words are hard at 3am?, maybe some heartwarming fluff, no beta we die like men, so i apologize in advance, so no beta, this fic is all over the place, yakuza!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:15:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22125463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsofobsidian/pseuds/wordsofobsidian
Summary: Galo Thymos had become a police officer to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Kray Foresight, who had fought valiantly against the gangs and underworld that had been trying to overtake Promepolis for years. So when Kray calls him into a private meeting and asks him to work undercover for him, Galo can't decline, eagerly diving headfirst into the job. What he doesn't expect, however, is a world full of magic, ancient clans, and destiny, quickly getting in over his head. Navigating gang politics while learning magic and trying to stay undercover was what Galo was expecting to be the hardest thing about the assignment, only to be surprised when he finds himself falling for one of the heads of Mad Burnish. Can he finish the assignment and get the information he needs and get out safely? Or is he going to risk it all to get one more night with those gorgeous lavender eyes?
Relationships: Lio Fotia & Gueira & Meis, Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos, Lio Fotia/Gueira/Meis/Galo Thymos
Comments: 9
Kudos: 75





	1. Humble Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~ This has been my first fic in a long while so, I'm going do to my best to keep up and publish more chapters in a decent amount of time rather than not at all. I'll also be linking any music that I feel fits the chapter/drove the chapter to completion to try and help the ~mood~ of things :) Please enjoy~

Galo sat across from the Governor of the city, trying his best not to squirm at how excited he was to be in his presence. Governor Kray had been his idol for most of his life, ever since he had first stood up to the criminal presence in their city. He could remember the night when Kray had fought off an entire gang to protect his neighborhood, and finding him still standing when the sun had risen. His arm had been lost in that fight, but the gang had left the neighborhood, and peace had settled back in after years of terror. It had been enough to push him into the spotlight for his valiant efforts, which in turn, afforded him new means to drive back the gangs and dark underbelly that was trying to ruin their city. 

And as Kray fought back that darkness, Galo had aspired to follow in his footsteps. Studying every bit of law he could, training his body to be as physically fit as possible when he applied to the police academy. He took every side class he could, becoming as efficient as possible in de-escalating situations while being able to apprehend those with ill intent. Galo knew the best ways to assist paramedics before the arrived on-scene, not that such cases happened often. There was very little he couldn’t handle any more, which is why he was curious that he had been summoned before the Governor himself. Was it a promotion? Was he being recognized for his efforts in the city? Or maybe they just knew how much he idolized the Governor and wanted to give him a small treat for all his hard work? 

Either way, the anticipation had Galo squirming internally, while he sat silently before Kray. The Governor was finishing up some sort of conference call, but had allowed Galo to come in on the assumption it would be over shortly. However, that had not been the case, and unfortunately, it had eaten up some of their meeting time. Kray’s answers became short and sharp, obviously trying to wrap this lengthy conversation up. Galo could see in his body language that he was rather uncomfortable, though it was hard to tell if it was because of him or if it was because of the conversation that seemed to never end. Though, really, it would be odd if _he_ made the Governor uncomfortable because, after all, he was just a police officer. He wasn’t anything _that_ special. How could he ever make Kray uncomfortable? 

Galo was broken out of his thoughts when he heard the receiver slam, those bright eyes glancing up to see Kray’s hand tightly around the phone that he had just hung up. It was hard to tell if there were cracks in the plastic from how hard it had been set, but Galo tried to ignore that thought, instead focusing on the Governor who was smiling at him. That smile was so warm but so...well, Galo couldn’t put a finger on the other emotion he got from it. Never had and he truly didn’t think he would. While reading people was his job, Kray just never needed _to_ be read - he was the Governor, there was never any ill-intent there. Least he could do was not make any assumptions about what might be going on with the Governor - Kray would only do what was right for all. 

“Galo Thymos. Thank you for meeting with me. Please, accept my apologies for making you wait so long. My associates did not understand the importance of our meeting.” 

Importance? Him? Galo stares at the Governor, nodding his agreement. But deep down, there’s no way he was more important then whomever he was talking to before. At least, in his mind, anyways. 

“Now, you must be wondering why I wished to meet with you on such short notice, yes?” 

Galo shrugs, “It’s not my place to assume, sir. I’m simply doing as I’m told.” 

For a moment, he thinks he can see the smallest twitch of a smile on Kray’s face, but he chalks it up to his imagination. Kray simply nods, folding his hands in front of him as he sits up straight at his desk. The desk looks small in front of him, almost like it doesn’t fit, that Kray doesn’t even fit in this office. It makes Galo feel tiny, almost insignificant, when it comes to his hero. 

“I need your assistance on a case that I am working.”

Galo is sure he can feel his heart beating in his throat, and he swallows heavily, trying to keep himself calm. “A case, sir? And...my assistance?” 

“Yes. I feel like you would be the only one fit to accomplish this mission. Before I go into the details, however, I need to state the seriousness of this work,” Kray states, pulling out a small folder and setting it in front of Galo. “A few NDAs for you to sign along with a living will. Also, a release that you are doing this of your own will.”

“Sir…?” Galo questions, looking at that folder and back to Kray.

“This is a dangerous mission. Lives are on the line, including your own. And I only do this to make sure you understand the severity of this situation. I believe if you are able to obtain the information we need, you could save hundreds of lives. But, with your life on the line if you are exposed, I also understand if you do not wish to undertake this. If you do decline, please know, this will not affect your future or benefits with this division,” Kray explained, laying out each sheet with relative ease. It was done with such practice that Galo was sure this wasn’t the first time Kray had made an offer like this. He couldn’t help but wonder if the others had failed or actually had the balls to say no to Kray. 

“Well, um, can I at least ask what the job is before I go in if it’s that dangerous?”

Kray gave Galo the look a father would give a child when they’ve been disappointed, as if Galo should already know that answer. Galo gulped, suddenly feeling small under Kray’s gaze. After a moment of reflection, he reaches for the nearby pen, beginning to sign each of the papers in turn. Signature, initial, another full signature, rewriting a sentence confirming his sanity...and ten minutes later, his life had been signed away to Kray and his mission. It felt like a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders, only to be replaced with one that was far more important than anything he had ever taken on before. And it set his burning soul of justice on fire! 

“Alright Gov! I can do this! Whatever this is! You picked the right person for the job!” Galo can feel the doubt and fear starting to fade away - he /can/ do this, he can't disappoint Kray, not when Kray went through all this effort to get him onboard! 

Kray smiles again, perhaps a bit more gentle than he was before. He gathers up the papers and slides them back into the folder and over to his secretary, who, seemingly, has appeared out of nowhere. Not a word is exchanged between them, but she seems aware of what needs to be done, nodding and walking out. Once she’s gone, Kray opens up another drawer, pulling out a new folder, opening it and pushing it towards Galo. 

“Now. First and foremost, there is something that might come as a bit of a shock. In that folder in front of you, are documents that explain what we essentially know as ‘magic’ to be a real commodity in the underground community.”

“Magic?” Galo questioned, taking the folder and opening it with an unexpected eagerness, “Like, we’re talking elves and dwarves and things like that?”

“Surprisingly, yes, you are correct. But what we are dealing with is a bit different compared to those common races.” Another folder from his desk, this one a deep red, almost a warning in and of itself. Galo takes it as soon as it’s slid over to him, opening it up and starting to read. 

“...clans, sir?”

“Descendants of the zodiac themselves. While the clans of the West have managed to regulate themselves, the Eastern clans have been in a territory war since their ascension. Unfortunately, it does affect the non-magical population in the form of gang wars. Each one of the animals were given areas to rule over and maintain - some have grown bolder over the years, as some clans have disappeared into obscurity while others have become almost tyrannical over their courts,” Kray explains, reaching up to show Galo his prosthetic arm, “You remember my stand, I’m sure. That was up against the clan of the Tiger. I was lucky to be able to hold my own against them, but it earned me their respect, and I was able to convince them to stand down and eventually, to relocate.” 

Galo practically has stars in his eyes as he listens to Kray’s story; the Governor was already his personal hero, this knowledge just made him all the more cooler. “Gov, that’s so fucking AWESOME! You fought the clan by yourself! Man, if everyone knew the truth of what you did…”

“We’d all be in danger, Galo. No one can know about these clans. While they were made to be benevolent by the Jade Emperor, they are anything but. They harbor a hatred for humanity, and want nothing more than to enslave us and kill us like animals. It has begun to escalate, which is why you hear more and more about the violent gang wars. ...It’s how we have to cover up their raids.” 

“Raids? Like, in video games?” 

Kray pauses, as if he was processing just what Galo had said. But he nods, “Yes, something like that. A small group of them will generally terrorize a small section of our city, looting everything they can and hurting or killing any who try to stop them. They’ve been trying to clear out what they feel is their territory given to them by the Emperor, though they truly have no right to it. We’ve had the media label them as gang interactions to try and keep the mundane population unaware of the magic at play. The last thing we need is a race war starting.”

“Do you really think that something like that would happen? People would probably find magic really cool. And I’m sure maybe they could help with like, fires and stuff.”

“Galo,” Kray’s voice sounds exasperated, as he shakes his head almost in disappointment, “You have been with the force for many years now. You’ve seen the worst of humanity day in and day out. You know their capacity for cruelty. And that is what people will see, not the good. No, we have to keep our worlds separate. For the safety of everyone.” Kray opens his drawer again, pulling out one last folder. This one he opens himself and lays out three pictures, three young men with embroidered demonic bandanas covering the lower halves of their faces. 

“These three are the leaders of the Mad Burnish, the most recent clan on our radar. We believe them to be of the Dragon, but there’s been no real confirmation yet. Either way, they have been building - essentially - an army. But we don’t know what for, and we need to find out when they plan to attack so we can stop them. That is where you come in, Galo. We’re needing you to go undercover and infiltrate this gang. My previous informant has unfortunately gone missing, and you’re the only one with the necessary qualifications to get close to them.”

He leans over, pointing at each one in turn as he names them. 

“Meis.” Slender man with long blue hair covering his face. 

“Gueira.” Mid-20s male with a mane of red hair.

“Lio.” Early 20s kid with the soft blonde hair that reminded him of a unripened lime.

“We don’t know who is in charge. We just know that it has been these three that have been ordering around Mad Burnish for the past fifty years.” 

Galo almost chokes on his air, “Fifty years?!?! They can’t be any older than their twenties, sir!”

Kray smiles, “The descendants of the zodiac age differently. While we don’t know how old they actually are, there’s enough prior documentation to prove that they’ve been working this trade for longer than most of our lives. It’s for that reason that you must be careful where you tread with them. I have no doubt that they are as ruthless as those before them. But without getting close to them, we won’t know what they are capable of and how to stop it.” 

Galo takes the photos one by one, looking them over and trying to commit each one of them to his memory. It’s difficult, and he loses focus on whatever Kray is continuing to speak about. As he stares at the leaders, there’s something about them that seems...almost oddly familiar. It’s as if he’s met these three before, that he knows them far more than he realizes. But it’s this ‘Lio’ that he’s drawn to more than the others. There’s something about him that is just...enchanting? Mesmerizing? He can’t think of the word for it, and a sort of melancholy washes over him as he stares. And for a moment, everything seems to fade away as he watches that photo turn to look at him, those lavender eyes narrowing and staring at Galo, as if it really sees him. 

_“It’s not nice to spy on others. Come and see me yourself before you scry on me again.”_

He doesn’t know how he hears it, but it makes him jump back as the photo suddenly catches flame in his hand, the other two on the desk following suit. Galo watches as they burn up to ashes, though the fire doesn’t spread to the rest of the papers across Kray’s desk, which he presumes is the magic at work. Once they’re nothing more than smoldering piles of dust, he looks up to Kray, who simply is staring at the same piles, his hands interlaced in front of his mouth, as if he’s thinking intensely. His eyes slowly move over to Galo, curious and maybe...angry? It’s hard for Galo to tell. 

“...this is why you must be careful, Galo. We don’t know their full capabilities. Did they say anything?” 

Galo shakes his head, “No. It just...the picture looked at me and it was on fire suddenly and the others too. I don’t know what happened.” 

Kray nods, silent for a long moment before he stands, Galo following suit. 

“We’ll be creating a cover story for you - something dealing with a temporary leave of absence and an investigation. Enough that it’d make sense for you to seek out their assistance. Ignis will be informed of your leave and briefed on the situation and will handle your coworkers accordingly. You will be delivered your assignment instructions within the next week. Once you begin to undertake this task, you will be on your own. We will not be able to assist you until you obtain what we need,” Kray moves around his desk as he speaks, coming up to Galo to place a hand on his shoulder, “I have the utmost faith in you, Galo.”

Galo smiles, straightening and saluting Kray, “You’ve put your faith in the right place, sir! I won’t let you down!” 

***  
Later that night, Galo laid out on his couch, staring at the ceiling. Sure his bed was more comfortable and he’d probably fall asleep in minutes, but there was something gnawing at his mind that he knew he had to give some thought to. 

“Lio.” 

Why? Why did they all seem so damned familiar to him? He was absolutely sure he had never seen them in his life. And yet, there was something pulling at his mind, at his heart, and the very thought of meeting the three of them just makes him ache. It was like that thing Aina talked about - deha view? Baja stew? Whatever, it was some foreign phrase about knowing something you’ve never seen or heard or been through before. That was the feeling these three gave him - he knew them but he absolutely didn’t. Besides, he had been a straight-edge all his life, never even stolen a piece of candy! Galo would have never associated with people like this. 

“I’ll bring them to justice, Kray. I’ll make you proud.”


	2. Thresholds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Work has been a nightmare and hindered this being written in a decent amount of time. So, to make up for it, it's a bit longer than before. Hopefully that will tide everything over till I can work on the next chapter :) Enjoy!

Galo had been put on indefinite leave the next day, and a statement put out that there was an investigation ongoing. While the idea that he could have done something wrong bothered him, he knew this bit of shame would be for the greater good. So, he would just have to bite back his pride and wait until the entire thing was done and over with. 

Ignis had called him up the day after his meeting with Kray to inform him about the temporary leave - he also knew about the mission that Galo had undertaken for the Governor. Galo could hear the concern in his voice as he expressed his frustrations and offered his assistance should anything go awry. It warmed his heart to know Ignis cared so much, even when he didn’t have to. But, Ignis had always been the father he never had, who busted his balls and make sure he learned something every single day, who make sure he was taken care of both when he was sick and not. He did that for everyone that worked under him, which was probably why he was so respected across the district. 

“Galo. I just want you to remember one thing, alright? No matter what, remember that this is all to protect people. And that includes yourself. Don’t be afraid to pull yourself out if you’re in over your head. We’ll all understand if you have to. Got it?”

Galo smiled to himself, nodding despite the fact he knew Ignis couldn’t see him. “Yeah boss, I got it. I’ll see you and the rest of the team soon. Promise.” 

Cabin fever settled in quickly as Galo waited on his instructions, stuck inside his apartment with little more to think about than the mission itself. He was to infiltrate the Mad Burnish, find out where and when they were looking to strike with their ‘army,’ and get out as safely as possible to inform Kray and the team so they could stop them. Get in, get the information, get out. Sure, they might find him suspicious at first, but who wouldn’t? A ‘former’ police officer trying to make ends meet while he was unjustly put on leave! Pfft, if anything, they’d be getting an ally out of him if they played their cards right. Well, Galo hoped he could convince them of that. He honestly had never interacted with gang members outside of his normal line of work, never had any need to. Even as a kid, he had been completely straight edge, avoiding drugs and alcohol and all sorts of trouble. All because he wanted to be like Kray, he wanted to _do_ something about the world he was in, he wanted to make a change for the better. And if anything, he was sure this would be the best way to do so. Kray would never lead him astray. He was sure of it! 

It arrived one week later in an unlabeled envelope, slipped in with the rest of his mail. Galo almost missed it, distracted by the ads for various sales going on for the new year. His heart catches in his throat once he realizes what he’s holding, dropping everything else as he stares at it. This was it, this was what he had been waiting for, his chance to make a difference! Ripping the envelope open, he pulled out the plain piece of white paper

‘Ristorante Italiana, 4:30 PM, back corner table. Ask for Remi. Burn after reading.’ 

Galo’s breath catches in his throat, everything around him seeming to freeze as he takes in the message. He was meeting someone, someone who knew how to get him into the underground, someone who could take him to Mad Burnish. This was _it_. Finally, he was going to get his chance! But...what should he wear? Did he need to be undercover immediately? Did he need to bring anything? What time was it? Looking up, he realized he had barely forty-five minutes before said arranged meeting, and in a panic, drops the note into his sink as he runs for his room, needing to get ready as soon as possible. 

Thirty four minutes later, Galo rushes out of his apartment in jeans and a hoodie, locking the door and running to his motorcycle, racing off without even a second glance back. If he had taken a moment to look around, he might’ve noticed the pair loitering around his stairwell, playing around on their phones - at least, until they see Galo speed off. The navy-haired lithe one sends off one more text before nudging the redhead next to him, both of them quietly starting to head upstairs, watching as Galo hits the main road outside of the complex and heads off for the meetup. 

***

Galo barely arrives with a minute to spare, breathing heavily as he scans across the restaurant. The hostess approaches him, beginning to ask if she could help before he points towards the back corner, smiling, “I got it, thank you though,” before he starts to push through the dining room all the way to the back corner. It was a bit darker than the rest of the area, and as he approaches, it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the person waiting in the booth for him. 

“...you’re Remi, right?” 

The teal haired man looks up to him, fixing his glasses as he looks Galo over. After a moment he nods, motioning for Galo to sit as he takes a sip of his coffee. He’s writing in a journal in some sort of script, a mixture of letters and symbols that would obviously only make sense to him. Galo wishes his memory was good enough to memorize any of those characters, but he shakes off that idea quickly when he notices Remi staring at him. 

“Uhhh...sorry. Your writing just looked, um, really different. Interesting.”

Remi sighs, “Just sit already. We have a lot to talk about.” 

Galo sits obediently, and a waitress brings him a glass of water without him even asking, nodding to him in acknowledgement before leaving the two of them to their discussion. He takes a few gulps before setting it aside, leaning a bit over the table as he waits for Remi to speak. The teal-haired man, however, is continuing to write, glancing up every so often before he returns to the journal. 

“I hope you understand just what sort of danger you’re putting yourself into, Galo Thymos. Mad Burnish is not a group you really want to just fuck around with,” Remi starts, scratching out another character before he sets the pen down, finally looking up to meet Galo’s stern gaze. 

“I do. I need this job. I didn’t do anything wrong and until the department realizes that, I’m taking whatever I can get.”

Remi stares at Galo, as if he’s trying to figure out something beyond his words. “Right. Well, let me explain a few things. I’m a neutral party in all of this. I help whomever needs contact with whomever, and that’s it. I don’t get involved any further than that. And BOTH sides understand this so you need to as well. My neck is not getting put on the line for either of you. I don’t want to know what you’re doing or what they’re doing or any of it. All I do is help people get in contact with the best person for what they need. You’re out of a job and with your skillset, you want the highest paying people around. That’s Mad Burnish. But the application process is rough and if you don’t pass, I can’t help you much beyond that, understand?”

Galo nods, “I get it. Middle man. I just need you to point me in the right direction. I promise you won’t get involved.”

“Good. Now, let’s talk payment for this.” 

“Payment?!” Galo can’t help but be a little shocked at this, he thought everything was set up already. Still, as frustrated as he is, he starts to pull out his wallet, hoping he has enough to pay. But, Remi just holds out his hand, shaking his head. 

“No, not money. I need a favor.” 

Remi slowly reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small red pouch that he holds out to Galo, who gently takes it. There’s a small pause between them, with Galo doing his best to resist the urge to open up the pouch. The middle man figures out Galo’s thought process pretty quickly, reaching forward to wrap his hand around it, leveling his gaze at Galo.

“Don’t open it. Just make sure to give it to the Mad Burnish boss. Let him know it’s my offering. He’ll understand.”

“And...that’s payment enough?” 

Remi nods, “Yeah, it’s all I need from you. I normally don’t mind bringing it myself but, traveling there can be a pain. So, two birds with one stone with you.” 

“Alright. I’ll deliver it.”

“And DON’T open it.”

“Okay! I get it, I won’t open it,” Galo ties the strings on either end of the pouch together, showing Remi it’s closed before he pushes it into one of his pockets. The middle man seems to be satisfied with this, pulling back and starting to write something in his journal once more. He doesn’t take long to finish this time, shutting the book and returning it to the bookbag seated next to him. 

“Alright. Order yourself something to eat. Once we’re done, we’re heading to the Night Market. Have you ever been?” 

Galo shakes his head as he picks up the menu, starting to look through it. “I mean, I’ve heard about it, but it wasn’t really my area to patrol or anything. I’ve always wanted to go visit it, just never found the time.” 

Remi nods, but before he can respond, the waitress is back over, asking if she could get them anything. Galo doesn’t hesitate, ordering himself a personal pizza while Remi goes for a classic pasta dish. The waitress takes the order with a smile, noting down everything before bouncing off to the kitchen. Taking another sip of water, Galo watches Remi, who watches the waitress leave with a bit of wistfulness in his gaze. Setting his glass down, Remi’s attention turns back to Galo, who continues to stare at him, making the middle man blush.

“Look, it’s not what you thi-”

“No. I know it isn’t. You didn’t look at her like that because you were attracted to her,” Galo calmly replies, leaning back in his chair. He has an idea, but he’s going to let Remi talk rather than pushing him. 

“She just reminds me of my girlfriend, that’s all.” 

“Is she overseas or something?” 

Remi gives a small smile, one that looks like it hurts, and even Galo can feel the pain in his heart over that thought, “Something like that. She’s gone away because of me so, just have to live with it until she can come back.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” 

Remi shrugs. “It’s my own fault. I just hope she’ll be able to forgive me once she returns. But, enough about that. Night Market. It’s going to be overwhelming if this is your first time, but we have a small window to get you to your test, so you’ll have to explore later. But, if you pass your test, you’ll get to know that place like the back of your hand in time.”

The rest of the conversation falls into a natural rhythm, asking basic questions about one another and establishing a more solid acquaintance relationship than before. Food was far better than Galo expected, and he devoured it without hesitation, only stopping once it was all gone. He brushed it off as a side effect of being so distracted the past few days that he had forgotten to take better care of himself. Regardless, he said in anticipation for Remi to finish his meal, who seemed to enjoy eating slower just to tease Galo. But, it isn’t much longer before they’re both done and outside, hopping on their respective bikes and heading towards the Night Market.

***

The sun just sets below the horizon once they arrive at the market, which is now lit with red lanterns of various shapes and sizes. Remi leads him to a small garage, the two of them parking their bikes before they head into the bazaar. Galo steps into the street and just freezes, his eyes going wide as he just pauses and gives the market a good look around. A long street of various shops spread out on either side of him, bearing their offerings to all the people that pass. Everything from spices to vegetables to handmade fabrics to clothes to trinkets and so much more are on display, with their owners beckoning to come closer and view what they have to offer. 

Galo could see why Remi had warned him, he wants to just wander these rows upon rows of shops and lose himself in the wonder of this market. It’s absolutely magical, the amount of people here, how they also seem to be entranced in the atmosphere. There’s a pull inside of him, a want to join the rest of the people eating and enjoying themselves, to spend what money he had and just relax…

A jolt suddenly goes through him, and Galo shakes off the intrusive thoughts, taking a step back and looking to Remi, who’s smiling next to him. Suddenly the sounds of the market start to overwhelm him - a rooster crowing, dogs barking, the squabbling of haggling customers, the laughter of children running through groups of people and the yells of a shop owner after them. Taking a deep breath, Galo regains his senses, looking to his guide for an explanation. 

“Magic. Simply meant to mask what’s really going on around here. Good job pulling yourself out of it, not many people can. Come on, follow me,” Remi explains, starting to lead them into the crowd. 

For once, Galo is grateful for his height, as he’s able to use it to keep track of Remi as he gracefully moves through the groups of people. No one seems to notice either of them, too wrapped up in whatever protective magic it was that protected this place. Galo is far more aware now of the magic about them, and he catches glimpses of things that are definitely not normal. A sign for crushed pixie wings, a cure all for curses, and dragon teeth, all available for purchase. The shopkeepers smile to him, showing off fangs, or maybe a hint of scales rippling across their skin. But it’s all gone in a blink of his eyes, and everything goes back to spices and exotic fruits. 

“We’re here.” 

Galo almost runs into Remi when he stops in front of one of the booths, moving over and saying something to the shopkeeper. He doesn’t catch what they say, it’s too quick for him to follow, but he’s motioned to follow once more, and his feet guide him before he can process the situation. There’s more people behind the shop than he expects, and as he’s lead through the rows, he’s starting to become confused. It seems like there’s more here than the actual street would fit, like the entire bazaar is much larger than what it seemed to be. Remi leads him down row after row, moving through various shops without so much as a second glance, guiding the both of them through this chaos without much of a care. Eventually, he comes to a stop, pointing to the next row.

“There’s your stop. Just head on through and take a left. Keep walking and you’ll know when you reach your destination.” 

Galo glances through to the row, not seeing anything in particular and looking back to Remi, “That’s it?” 

“That’s it. Just remember to hand my delivery to the boss after your test,” Remi pats his shoulder, smiling, “Good luck.” 

There’s a hesitation that almost overwhelms him, that makes Galo want to just run back and go back to everything that was normal. He feels like he’s on the edge of something, that once he takes this next step, there’s no going back. Fear grips his chest, his hands are shaking, yet his feet are moving. Galo couldn’t turn back - he was doing this for everyone, for Kray. They all had faith in him that he could do this, and he was going to prove to them that faith was not misguided. 

He steps into the next row of shops and is immediately hit by how quiet it is. Glancing to either side, he can see that there’s no one at any of these booths, and if anything, it looks like it was abandoned awhile ago. No people bustling about, no wares, nothing. Galo can’t even see beyond to the other parts of the market anymore, it’s just the soft red light from the lanterns hung from the roofs. And silence. Overwhelming silence. 

“Left. I need to go left.” Galo turns and begins to walk down the row, his eyes scanning for anything out of place. 

And he walks. 

...And he walks some more.

The row doesn’t seem to be ending. It continues on, further and further, and Galo realizes he can’t see the end of the street. Confused, he turns around, knowing he’s probably stuck in some sort of loop. This happened in video games all the time, and it always frustrated him when he fell for it. Huffing he turns around and begins to walk, but he stops short almost immediately as his senses are now overwhelmed with the scent of roses. It’s confusing for a moment, considering the market before was a mixture of multiple scents, and not just one over all. Once he comes to, however, there’s something else that now has his attention. 

A man standing in the middle of the market. He’s about 100 feet away, but Galo is able to recognize him immediately. From underneath that hood peeks that bit of lime hair, framing that demon bandana that’s still wrapped around his face. And those bright lavender eyes are on him again, just like when he ‘scryed’ him in that photo. His heart is pounding in his chest, his breath caught in his throat as he stares, his blood rushing in his ears. 

“Lio…”

Lio turns his head slightly, those eyes narrowing, “You know who I am? Good. I don’t have to introduce myself to you then, Galo Thymos.” 

Hearing his name knocks him out of his stupor, shaking his head as he points to him, “Hey! You don’t get to do my introduction for me! I’m Galo Thymos! I’m here to ask you for a job!” 

Lio scoffs, glancing aside as he starts walking towards Galo, “Yeah, I know. But you have to pass the test before we decide to hire you.” 

“Fine! What’s the test? Word problems? Math?” 

A sword appears in Lio’s hand, glistening in the lantern’s light. It looks beyond sharp, obviously being very well taken care of. There’s a hint of iridescence to it, and Galo subtly wonders if it was something like damascus steel from the way it glistens. 

“It’s a physical. Prepare yourself.” 

Before Galo has any chance to respond, Lio is running towards him, sword ready in his hand to slash as soon as he gets close. Galo is fighting his instinct to flee, and he looks around, trying to find something, ANYTHING, that he can defend himself with. Luckily, there’s a rod leaning up against one of the booths, and he’s quick to grab it, spinning it in his hands to get a feel for it’s weight before he brings it forward. 

Lio brings down the sword just as Galo holds out the rod, managing to block the down swipe, and in turn, the sword bouncing back hard enough that he’s able to bring the rod back to try and use that momentum to knock Lio back. However, his opponent is quick enough to catch what Galo is going for, using that momentum instead to backflip gracefully, putting some distance between the two of them. There’s nothing but amusement in Lio’s gaze, and he’s sure that if that bandana was off, he’d see a grin underneath it. 

“Not bad. Let’s see how you handle this though.” 

Lio comes rushing at him again, though this time, he has his blade in a neutral stance, mainly to keep Galo from guessing. While Galo hadn’t trained with any sort of rod before, he knew how to fight swords - who would’ve thought a martial arts class he took on a whim in his police academy would become this beneficial? Watching closely, he can see the small flick in Lio’s wrist as he tries to bring it upwards, Galo side stepping and letting the rod go with before he spins it back and catches it again with ease, bringing it forward to block the next slash. This time, Galo takes advantage of the small gap in Lio’s attack, trying to bring the rod forward and into his side. But, Lio’s quick, able to jump back just out of reach, holding his sword out in front of him to defend off any further attacks. 

And it goes on like this, like some strange, beautiful dance that both of them inherently knew despite never learning the steps. Block, parry, sidestep, attack, dodge, block, parry, backflip, twist, attack...Galo couldn’t remember ever having this much enjoyment from a ‘physical’ before. Even in all his classes, it had simply been learning and then enacting the move - never much of a chance to put it into practice. And yet here, he feels like a natural at all of it. It’s beautiful, the way Lio’s lithe body moves, graceful and sure of every movement he’s making, not wasting any energy as he fights. Galo isn’t sure he’s as graceful, perhaps a bit more of a brute in his movement, but he’s doing what he can to keep up. 

Every so often, he catches Lio’s gaze, those beautiful lavender eyes that stare back into his own, looking beyond the surface level, trying to figure out Galo as they fight. And Galo, well, he just wants to fall deep into Lio, which stirs something deep inside him, that familiarity that he couldn’t shake with the pictures of Mad Burnish earlier. It feels like there’s so much more between them than just this, but he doesn’t understand WHY that is. But he wants to know, he wants to explore whatever it was he had with Lio, just so he could figure out this feeling and be at peace.

He doesn’t know how much time has passed - it could’ve been anything from mere minutes to hours. All he knows is that both him and Lio are starting to feel the effects of such an intricate dance, considering they’re both panting as they come to a stop. They still have their weapons at the ready - despite the distance between them - just in case the other decides to take advantage of the moment. Yet, there’s an understanding they won’t, as they struggle to catch their breath, letting their stamina recharge for the time being. A cool breeze blows through the row of empty stalls, and Galo is grateful for it, as it starts to cool the sweat on his skin. The scent of roses hits him again, easing his nerves this time rather than setting him back on alert. 

“Okay...did I...pass yet? Or do I...have to go...another round?” Galo spits out between breaths, trying to keep up his bravado. Honestly, he’s praying to whatever higher deity that’s out there that there isn’t another round, he doesn’t know how much longer he can go. 

Lio stares at Galo for a long moment, those eyes just looking him up and down, _judging_ him, weighing his worth in his mind. Galo could only guess the qualifications that are running through Lio’s mind, but he’s hoping there’s more beyond the fight at mind. Maybe he notices this feeling too, that weird familiarity, or maybe he knows Galo is far more useful than just this bodyguard thing he’s opting for. Either way, Galo can’t help but just stare and hope, silent and waiting judgement. 

Finally, Lio puts his sword back in its sheath, laughing softly to himself as he waves at Galo, trying to get him to put the rod down as well. 

“Alright, enough with the puppy dog eyes. You’ve passed, Galo Thymos.”

“Really?! YES! Awesome!” Galo begins to celebrate, tossing the rod aside as he fist bumps the air. 

“Don’t celebrate too much. You still have one more test to go.”

Everything freezes. At least, it does for Galo. 

“A-another test?” 

“Yes,” Lio responds, starting to lead them down the empty row. Somehow, it doesn’t seem empty anymore, and the smells and sounds of the market start to slowly waft back into their reality. But it doesn’t entirely interact, considering no one seems to notice them as they walk towards the end of the street which wasn’t there before. Large, ornate doors stand before them now, covered in carvings of various animals. It takes Galo a moment but, he realizes that the only animals there are those belonging to the Zodiac, intricately woven into the wood. 

“What’s the next test then?” 

Lio pauses at the door, his hand gripping the handle but not pulling it open just yet. When he turns back to Galo this time, the amusement is gone, that seriousness back in his eyes.

“Time for you to meet our Seer. She will decide if your intentions are true and if you are worth the effort.”

Galo had never been a religious or truly spiritual person, but for the first time in his life, he found himself praying and hoping that something above (or below) would take pity on him and help him pass. Because if divine intervention wasn’t an option, he was sure he’d be exposed to Mad Burnish, and that would be the end of him. 

With a deep breath, he nodded his agreement to Lio, following him through the door to the Underworld and into a world that would change him for the rest of his life.


	3. Piercing the veil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Struggled a lot with this chapter, so in turn, I've made it extra long! Mainly since I'm terrible with ending chapters and transitioning, hard to find stopping places sometimes. But! I hope you enjoy it regardless :)

The Underworld was bigger than Galo could ever have imagined it to be. While they had entered through what seemed to be a smaller branch of the Night Market, it expanded quickly into a much bigger and larger city. Perhaps not as big as the one he lived in, but at least big enough that a few hundred people lived here. And, rather peacefully from the looks of it. From what he could tell of the various races that they passed, their body language was far more casual than most of the people he had lived around all his life. They were _comfortable_ , both with who they were and the other creatures around them. Well, maybe creatures wasn’t the best word but, Galo didn’t know what else to use for the variety upon him. So far, he had seen orcs, pixies, elves, a naga (and boy, that was AMAZING!), lizard people, and so much more. It was hard not to stare as they walked through the streets. 

Galo was knocked out of his wonder by a sharp elbow to his side, wincing and looking over to his companion, who was practically staring daggers into him. 

“Stop staring. It’s rude,” Lio growled, shaking his head. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. This is just...really cool.”

There’s a bit of shock in his expression at the response, and Lio takes a moment before he seems to relax. But only a little, there’s still tension in his walk. “What you see as ‘cool’ is our life, Galo Thymos.”

“You know, you can just call me Galo. You don’t have to use my full name.” 

Lio stares at him, those eyes narrowing and processing that, “No. Until I can be sure I can trust you, I will use your full name. I don’t want to get comfortable with you until then. Simple as that.” 

Galo can almost feel himself deflate, though he’s not sure when he got so hopeful that Lio would trust him. But at the same time, there’s that nagging voice in the back of his mind - he’s not here to make friends. He’s here to find out about Mad Burnish’s army and save the people of Promepolis, that’s it. Still, it’s hard to shake off the disappointment of how easily Lio spurns his...well, friendship? No, they weren’t friends. They’ve only had one interaction, it was silly to think of him as a friend. That familiarity is just what makes him think of them as more, and he has to remember it’s just some feeling. Doesn’t mean it’s real - it’s just his imagination playing tricks on him. Maybe even magic.

“Don’t think too much on it. We treat everyone like this until they’re cleared. Human or magick-born, we just have to make sure we’re bringing the right people into this.” 

“And what is ‘this’ exactly?” 

“What do you mean?” Lio looks confused, keeping close to Galo as they move through another crowd, “You don’t know?”

Galo shrugged, “I was just told this would make me money while I was on suspension.”

Even with the mask on, he can see the shock and disbelief on Lio’s face right now. It’s almost amusing with how almost violent his reaction is. He does his best not to smile, simply looking to Lio as if he’s even more confused by said reaction. 

“ _This_ is literally a gang. Well, kind of. It’s our line of defense against those who want to ruin this world we have. We don’t interfere with humans and their world, though we welcome them into ours if they understand the rules.” 

“Alright, what’s the rules then?” 

An exasperated sigh comes from his partner, who appears to be rolling his eyes. 

“We don’t interfere with the human world if we can help it. We don’t harm humans. Magic is to stay underground - we are not to use it unless our life depends on it. Those are at least the main ones.” 

“Sounds fair. So that goes for humans too, right? Would they have magic to use as well?”

“Any human down here uses magic. There’s no other way to access this place - you have to be capable of magic.” 

It’s now Galo’s turn to look a bit shocked, looking to Lio with a deep furrow in his brow, “Wait, does that mean…?” 

“Yeah, even you have some capability for magic or you wouldn’t have made it through the market, even with Remi’s help. He forgets to mention it sometimes, considering his natural talents.” 

“He’s a native then?” 

Lio shakes his head, before motioning for Galo to follow him down a side street, “Nah, he found his way in. We’re pretty cognizant of magic users up top but he slipped by for a while. He’s come to be a good middle man for us, though, so we generally leave him be anymore. He knows the rules and abides by them, so it’s good enough.” 

For not wanting to get close to him, Galo finds it interesting that Lio is so forthcoming with information. Still, he plays it as casually as possible as they walk through the alley, watching as people hang their clothes above them, setting out food to cool on the windowsills. It was almost idyllic. 

“What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“Native? Or did you sneak in like Remi did?” Galo smiles slightly at the way Lio scoffs at that, almost as if it’s an insult. 

“Now that is definitely none of your business, Galo Thymos.” 

Galo laughs a bit at that, shrugging again, “Eh, thought I’d at least try. Maybe you’d crack or something.” 

Compared to earlier, Galo can see the relaxation in Lio’s body, how he’s a bit more settled and less on the defensive. Whether or not it’s because of their conversation or because they’re in what essentially is Lio’s home turf, he can’t tell. But either way, he’s grateful for it. It felt...natural to be like this. Felt like...no. Not that. 

Lio leads them through various walkways and alleyways, and while Galo generally had a good sense of direction, he feels absolutely more and more lost with each turn they take. But the town is beautiful, a strange mixture of various cultures and their architecture, all befitting the various species he had seen earlier. Galo admires them all quietly, taking in each of their personalities as he tries to imagine the people living inside. What does an orc do in its time off? How does a naga unwind? 

“So, where’s this Seer anyways? It feels like we’ve been walking forever.” 

“She’s right around the next corner. And so you know, her decision is absolute. If she says you’re not fit, we send you right back to the surface.”

“Fair enough,” Galo replies, trying to keep it cool. Deep down, he’s panicking like he’s never panicked before, wondering how he’s going to get past this test. A person who could read his mind? See the future? There’s no WAY he’s getting through this without some sort of divine intervention. 

Lio leads them up to a very warmly lit house, and immediately, a sense of serene calm washes over Galo. The panic melts away - everything that was meant to happen would happen. He didn’t need to fret over this. Life would take him where it meant him to be, he just had to accept it. His blue eyes trail over to Lio, and he can see the same sort of calm washing over him, his eyes shutting as Lio takes a deep breath before letting it go and meeting Galo’s gaze. Before either of them could say anything, the door opens, and a young woman answers the door, a smile bright on her face. 

“Lio. Galo. Please, come in. Tea is almost ready.”

Lio doesn’t hesitate, heading up the steps and into the house. Galo follows suit, stepping in close behind him. What he enters, however, is more of a surprise than anything else. As soon as he steps in, he finds himself in a place that appears so much bigger than what he saw outside, that he has to pause, glancing around as he just takes in his surroundings. The foyer alone looks to be at least twice the size of his apartment, and he can see there’s so much more to the place. What catches his eye, however, is the large statue that depicts the animals of the zodiac once more, though this has the sheep at the center of it. 

“Whoa…”

“Oh please, don’t mind that. It’s rather out of place, but I can’t be rid of it,” The Seer says, coming up to Galo’s side. Her pinkish hair reminds him of the sheep depicted, with just how fluffy and soft it looks. It’s tied back, and he’s slightly sure it would be much fluffier if it could be. 

“Why not? It’s your house, right?” 

“It’s just one of the rules. That’s all,” Lio answers for her, though she shrugs to somewhat admit her defeat in that situation. However, after a moment, her hands are on her hips as she turns to face Lio. 

“And you know my rules in my home, Lio. Or have you conveniently forgotten again?” 

There’s a sigh from Lio, before he reaches up to pull back the hoodie and untie the mask hiding his face. Galo watches as he finally reveals his face, and he feels his stomach drop, his heart skipping a beat. His face is more sharply angled than he expected, but without the demon bandana hiding him anymore, Galo can now appreciate just how...gorgeous he was. His eyes were softer than he originally thought they were, making him look even younger. The way his hair frames all of it is perfect, and it’s hard to look away from someone so enchanting.

“Sorry, Thyma. Didn’t mean to.” 

The Seer - Thyma - nods, apparently satisfied with his actions. Galo has to use all his willpower to pull himself away from staring at Lio, looking back to Thyma with a smile, his heart aflutter with all sorts of feelings. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Thyma. I’m Galo Th-”

“Galo Thymos. I know. It’s nice to finally meet you as well. Come, let us sit and discuss your future. Both of you.” She side eyes Lio, who seems confused at her statement. But, before he can say anything, she’s leading them both into the house that’s bigger on the inside.

Galo’s lost in awe as they walk through said house, watching as they pass through what seems like endless hallways, doors to rooms as far as his eyes can see. Everything is beyond immaculate - it reminds him of those high end hotels he could only dream of standing in front of. He’s heard Kray has stayed in a few of them, and wishes he could be important enough like him to visit them so often. Even so, this is enough to make him cross this off his list of wishes - it was just stunning. The paint on all the pillars and framing are bright and even, the gold accents perfect from every angle, the dark marble floor spotless. Yet, as they travel further into the house, there’s bits and pieces that start to pop up that are entirely out of place. Picture frames with photos, some with Thyma in them, some without, now start to line the walls instead of the fancy artwork from before. If anything, it slowly starts to become more cozy, more welcoming than the foyer they had originally walked in to. 

“This place is really cool, Miss Thyma. I like it a lot!” 

Thyma smiles at him, and Galo can’t help but be reminded of sunflowers. 

“Thank you, Galo. I appreciate that. I’ve worked rather hard to make this place my home.” 

“You mean this...isn’t your home?” 

“Well, it is and it isn’t. There’s a lot of nuances to this place. But that’s neither here nor there,” She says, moving to pull back a bead curtain, “Please. Make yourselves comfortable.”

Galo walks in to find a lounge, multiple couches and sitting pillows spread out across the room. Lamps hang low from the ceiling, their fire flickering and catching the shadows of the colorful drapes that droop over everything. A small table sits in the middle of the room, and Galo moves to sit himself on one of the pillow seats around it. His eyes are tracing over everything, making mental notes for his own future reference, wanting to make his own home just as cozy as this. Lio sits on the pillow next to him, folding his hands in front of him as he visibly decompresses, his shoulders relaxing and posture drooping slightly, looking far more casual than he has since Galo has met him. 

“Have to admit, this place is nicer than anything I’ve been in before,” Galo says, also letting his body start to relax and enjoy this. He really didn’t have much to fear right now - whatever would happen, would happen. 

Lio looks over to him, raising an eyebrow in both incredulousness and curiosity, “You haven’t been in a teahouse before?” 

Galo smiles, “Well, no, not in a teahouse but like. This place is like...immaculate. Gorgeous. Expensive. It’s nothing like the district I live in. It’s just really cool that you guys have stuff like this.” 

“...did you think we lived in caves and hovels?”

“No! No, that’s not what I mean!” 

But by the time he’s trying to defend himself, he notices the smile on Lio’s face, and the small chuckle that comes from him. Was...was he making fun of him? 

“Tea’s done!” 

Thyma walks in with a large tea tray, setting it down on the table before them before Galo can even offer to help. She sets a cup in front of all of them, pinching what looks to be sugar rocks into the bottom of them before she starts to pour. The smell of black tea wafts up and overwhelms him for a moment, the heat washing over him before he manages to come back to. But when he does, he can tell something’s off. He’s just not sure what yet. Either way, he elects to ignore it, picking up his cup and taking a huge drink of it. Somehow, it’s not burning hot but the perfect temperature, and it warms him as it travels downwards. 

“This stuff is amazing! Better than anything I’ve ever had!” 

She smiles as she sits across from him, getting herself comfortable before she takes a sip of her own cup. “I’m glad you like it. It’s my special blend that I make for my sessions.”

“Sessions?” 

“Oh, did Lio not tell you? Hmph. He’s been so ornery recently. Did he at least tell you why you were coming here?” Thyma looks exasperated, and Galo can’t help but empathize. 

“I mean, he didn’t tell me much. Just that I needed to see you and be cleared before I could work with Mad Burnish. And that you’re a Seer, so I’m guessing you can like, read my mind and all that stuff and can tell whether or not I’m lying about the job,” Galo explains, stopping himself before he could continue to ramble. He was nervous and it was starting to show. But Thyma only smiles at him, taking another sip of her tea before she sets it down, straightening the tablecloth once she sees the wrinkles in it. 

“Yes, I am the Seer of the Zodiac, the Sheep, to be precise. I can see various things in the past and future, divine certain truths, and impart what wisdom I can upon people. My family - the other zodiac, I mean - have me do this to protect our only line of defense from those who would hurt us. But, what you and I discuss here will be completely private. I only tell Mad Burnish what they need to know,” Thyma explains, her green eyes bright as she looks over Galo. 

It’s as she explains this that Galo realizes what was off - Lio’s gone. Only the two of them sit in the parlor now, which seems almost confined and cut off from the rest of the world. He doesn’t know why he knows this, but he does, and he knows here is the most cut off from everything he’s ever known - completely and utterly alone. But before he panics, another wave of serene washes over him, and he unconsciously drinks from his cup of tea. It soothes his nerves again, and he looks to Thyma curiously.

“Like I said, this session is private. We’re in our own private pocket of the universe for the moment, just like the pocket I will be in with Lio. No one in or out. Just us.” 

“So...are we in like, a dream world or just out of time or, how does this work?” 

“Well, it’s a bit of both. Kinda. It’s really hard to explain, so, just know we’re between a lot of things.” 

Galo watches as a school of goldfish start to float through the room, coming in through a window that wasn’t there before. And even through the window, he can see billions of stars, blinking in time with a song only the universe knows. The smell of his mom’s freshly baked bread wafts into the room and he’s suddenly home. He can feel himself tearing up, and he takes a deep breath to calm himself down, the emotions threatening to overwhelm. It’s hard but, he manages to regain control, distracting himself from those emotions with the fish that float around the two of them. They quietly float on by and out the window, which ripples like water from where they enter the dark space beyond. 

“Oh. Um. So...how do we start this?” Worry is starting to crawl it’s way back into him, the overflow of emotions letting it start to dig its claws into his heart. 

Thyma smiles again, “Galo. Do not be afraid. I know Kray sent you here.” 

He knew it, of course she’d know. His heart hurts, and for a moment, he feels like everything is lost, “Yeah but...I mean. I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I just want to keep people safe...does that mean you’re going to tell Lio? He’s not going to trust me.” 

“No, Lio will not know unless he finds out through his own means. It’s important that you’re here and important that you stay here with us. Kray’s orders were simply the threads of fate tugging you back.” 

“Back...to what?” 

She smiles. It’s a simple smile, a sweet smile, the type of smile you give someone when you know something they don’t, and you have the willpower to never, ever tell them. His best friend Aina could manage that smile, and it was both the most amusing and annoying thing he had ever experienced. But with Thyma, it seems...certain. No anger or frustration or laughter. Just...things will be as they will be. 

“Galo Thymos. You are far more important to all of us than you think you are. To Mad Burnish. To Kray. To the city of Promepolis and the world beyond. You have a great destiny before you, and as rough as the road is going to be at times, you must remember this above all - you must save Lio.”

“Wait, what?” Galo can’t help but gape at what she just said, but the seriousness on her face only cements her words and intentions. 

“You must save Lio, Galo Thymos. Above all, he is your destiny. Just as you are his. Red strings of fate have been tying you back to one another, and it’s time to stop resisting the pull and to go with it. Things will be as they will be, yes?” Thyma says it with a knowing smile, and Galo turns his head slightly. Was she…? No, she couldn’t actually be _in_ his head...right? 

“What am I supposed to save him from? And he’s got magic and all that fighting ability, I can’t protect him better than he can himself! Yeah I know a few things and I guess I held my own against him but...I’m not magical like any of you guys. I don’t have powers, I’m just a police officer with a mission. That’s it.” Galo takes another sip of Thyma’s tea, but it doesn’t ease the inherent sadness in his response. He had always wanted to be cool like Lio was, but he had also learned long ago that the world isn’t as great a place as he would like it to be. Sure, he tried to keep positive and wanted to make it that way, but…

Thyma takes both of his hands in her own, bringing them up to kiss the back of them. “It’s alright, Galo. Do not despair. You are far more than you think of yourself. A light amongst darkness. I know it is a huge burden but you would not have been bestowed such if you were not capable of shouldering it. And knowing you, you are capable of this and so much more if you just give yourself the chance.” 

Galo stares at Thyma - he doesn’t know how to feel. He wants to feel proud that someone that he’s barely even met has such faith in him - after all, he was the great Galo Thymos! His name was known throughout his district for just how dependable and reliable and amazing he was! And yet...this burden, this idea of saving the man who obviously distrusts him greatly - and has every reason to - fills him with unease. None of it makes any sense and he just wants to run, run back and take on the guilt that would come with failing Kray. But…

“Thyma. Have your predictions ever been wrong?” 

“Only once. Tiger...was never one to listen to me. And I thought telling him the truth would help him. Instead, it destroyed him instead of saving him.” The pain across her face hurts even Galo, and it’s his turn to take her hands in his, squeezing them reassuringly. 

“Well, once out of however many must not be too bad a percentage, right? Then that means I’m just going to have to suck it up and be what you think I can be! Can’t have you being wrong twice!” The confidence that was Galo’s default is kicking back in, and she smiles to see him plainly for once. 

“That’s the spirit! You’ll be just fine, dear Galo.” 

A bell starts ringing in the distance, pulling Galo from their conversation. He looks around confused, as he can feel the vibrations among the items in the room around them. 

“Wha…?”

“Our time is up. I can only maintain this space for a certain amount of time, even less so with both you and Lio at the same time. My powers are not meant to be stretched so much.” 

Cracks begin to form up the walls, the room slowly beginning to shake, as if an earthquake is rippling through the room. Galo’s instincts kick in, and he’s on his feet, immediately looking for the safest place he can hide them in. Looking back to the table, he finds that Thyma’s gone, and fear washes over him as he realizes he’s by himself in the in between. His legs take him out of the room, back into the endless halls of the teahouse, and he begins to run. Everything is falling apart around him, splinters in the flawless marble, the immaculate columns crumbling as he runs past. He doesn’t know where he’s running, or maybe he unconsciously does, he can’t tell, maybe there’s a reason for each door or hallway he takes. All he needs to do is get out. Get back to safety. 

Everything stops. All of it. Even Galo is brought to a dead stop in the middle of one of the same, endless hallways. His heart is racing in his ears, his breathing ragged, but even that eventually stops. And in the middle of the hallway, _they_ are standing there, a smile on their face. The familiarity washes over him, followed closely by confusion and fear. 

“I...you…?”

“Wake up, Galo.”

There’s so much more to say, he doesn’t want to wake up just yet. Not when he was on the cusp of…

“Galo! GALO!” 

The world snaps back into focus, Thyma’s worried face above him. It takes a moment for him to orient himself - he’s laying back on the pillows that cover the floor, staring upwards at the ceiling. His head throbs, and he winces at the sharp pain in his temple. 

“Galo, are you alright?” He can feel Thyma petting his hair back, trying to soothe him. 

“Yeah, I...my head just hurts. Is that normal for your sessions? I dunno if I can handle another one if they’re like that.” 

“No, not at all. Normally, the person wakes up when I do, since I’m the one maintaining it. I don’t know why you stayed...are you okay? Did anything happen?” 

Galo pauses, trying to think back, “I remember...things falling apart. And running. And...darkness. Then I’m here.” 

Thyma nods, slowly helping him sit up and get steady once more, “Well, it doesn’t sound like anything did you harm. Let me go get you something for this pain and then you can head out.”

Galo looks to the seat next to him, seeing the empty pillow and cup of tea to match. 

“Lio is outside waiting for you. Said he had something to take care of while we waited for you to wake up,” Thyma shrugs, obviously as confused as he was about the situation. But before Galo can ask more, she’s back on her feet and disappears into what he can only assume is the kitchen, though it’s hard to tell what leads to what in this endless teahouse. 

Quiet settles around him, and Galo can feel something tugging in the back of his mind. Something important that he was forgetting about the entire thing. Well, despite the fact he needed to save Lio. How the hell was he going to do that? None of this made any sense anymore. He came here to save the people of Promepolis from the army that was being built for...some reason. And now, not only did someone know of his real motives, but they also enlisted him to save someone that could be his enemy in the first place. ...what the hell was he supposed to do? 

Thyma returns with a glass of water and some sort of small glass filled with a green liquid that he can’t immediately identify. His stomach turns at the sight, but he manages to swallow it down at her insistence, immediately drinking the full glass afterwards as he tries to keep himself from heaving at the taste. A wave of goosebumps travel from his toes to the top of his head, bringing with it an ease to the pains, enough that he feels able to move once more. He’s back on his feet in moments, stretching as he regains his bearings. 

“Thanks again, Thyma. I appreciate everything. I’d like to come back and have some more tea with you sometime!” 

Thyma smiles, taking him by the hand as she starts to lead him back out through the endless hallways, “You will, I’m sure of it. It would be nice to have some company.”

“Consider it a date then! ...wait, not like, _that_ sort of date though. Like, y’know. Hanging out. Yeah, that’s what I meant!” 

“A date it is!” Thyma laughs, obviously teasing as he turns a few shades of red. They make small talk the rest of the way out of the teahouse, and Galo barely realizes they’re outside until Lio walks in front of him, pulling him entirely from the conversation. 

“Oh, hey Lio.”

“Hey. You alright?” He looks Galo up and down before looking over to Thyma, who nods. 

“Yeah! I just needed a bit more rest, that’s all! And I wanted to hang out with Miss Thyma some more. She’s pretty cool, y’know?” It’s her turn to blush this time, as she waves him off towards Lio. 

“Take him home, Lio! I’ll see you both for tea again soon!” 

Once she’s gone back inside, Galo looks to Lio, smiling, “Alright, where to now?” 

There’s a long pause between them, standing in front of the teahouse. Those lavender eyes stare into him, and for a moment, Galo’s both mesmerized and terrified. Lio is completely enchanting in a way that he’s never seen before, and his heart skips a beat to have his full undivided attention. His pulse races, his breath catching in his throat. All he wants is that attention and he doesn’t know why. 

“Home. You still need to meet the boss. We’ll probably have to take the oath tomorrow, it’s starting to get late,” Lio replied, casually fixing his jacket as he starts to walk down the alleyway they came from. 

“Wait...the boss?” 

Lio raises an eyebrow at that, nodding, “Yeah? Something wrong with that?”

“I...you’re...not the boss?”

There’s a sly smile, motioning for him to follow. “Do you think the boss of Mad Burnish would come out to test you himself?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” 

“Come on, Galo. Time to meet the rest of Mad Burnish.”

***

The walk isn’t as long as the walk was to Thyma’s teahouse, as Lio leads him into a busier part of the underground city. Galo tries not to stare again, but there’s so many interesting people that he can’t help it at times, watching as they all go about their business in this marketplace he’s been lead into. But it’s far different than the one outside, this is more like his malls back in his district, with shops lined up, bright lights, and workers trying to lead people in. He wants to go and explore, but Lio tugs at his jacket, leading him over towards one of the bigger buildings in the area - a large, fancy bathhouse. 

“Whoa...we’re taking a bath first?”

“No, you idiot. This is our home. We share it with our people.” 

As they walk up, some of the people begin to greet Lio, bowing their heads or waving, but generally keeping out of his stride. It’s somewhat stunning to see the reaction of so many people around them, and honestly, it reminds him of Kray during his public appearances. Well, when he had time for them. Lio greets those he can as they walk through the decently sized crowd, calling many of them by name and promising time to catch up with them later. It’s...entirely different from what Galo expected, to see these people so friendly with someone he had pegged as a terrorist of sorts. 

Much like Thyma’s house, once they walk in, there’s hallways extending far beyond the normal building Galo saw outside, though it all seems to be leading to different areas for people to bathe in. There’s endless floors upwards too from what Galo can tell, and it’s honestly mind-blowing that such a resource was available in this world. And the smell of all the different types of baths wafts through the corridors, and it’s so tempting to just jump in and relax after the day he’s had. 

“Galo.” 

Lio pulls him from his thoughts and down a side hallway, which seems to be tucked enough out of the way that one wouldn’t notice it immediately. It seems like a dead end, but with the snap of Lio’s fingers, a door slides open - an elevator from the looks of it. 

“...this is SO COOL. It’s just like those old kung fu movies with all those hidden passages and stuff! You’ve seen those right?” Galo gushes as Lio ushers them in, chuckling softly as he presses a few buttons. 

“Not in awhile. It’s hard to get technology down here sometimes.” 

“Oh...well, we’re just going to have to bring some down for everyone to watch! There’s so many classics!” Galo looks to Lio excitedly, the blonde only giving a soft smile and shrugging.

“We’ll see. Alright, so you’re going to meet the boss and his second in command. You need to be polite and not interrupt either of them, they don’t take well to that. They’re not going to be as nice as me, especially since you’re an outsider, so take them with a grain of salt, alright? Maybe after you’ve earned your place they might lighten up but, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you,” Lio explains, looking Galo over again. “But, we’ll get you a room after that. Clothes in the morning along with your first assignment. After your oath, of course.”

Galo nods along, listening but probably only retaining a good half of it. Alright, so these were the other two, Meis and Gueira. He remembered that much at least from Kray’s debriefing. And all three of them were Zodiacs like Thyma...and one of them was a dragon. Supposedly. It was just a matter of figuring out which one and doing his best to not piss that one off. So now he begins to wonder - what zodiac was Lio? Rat? Monkey? Oh, maybe the cat was still part of things! 

“Galo! Are you listening?” 

“Yeah! Yeah, you were just talking about the oath, right?” 

Lio stares at him before sighing, “Just...don’t fuck it up.” 

The door slides open to a long hallway, though this one is accented with the red pillars reminiscent of Thyma’s teahouse. Wooden floors are polished well enough that they could probably be used for mirrors, and gorgeous rugs lead them all the way to the end of the hallway. And at the end of that hallway, an elaborate door, decorated like the statue at the entrance of the teahouse. All of the zodiac are gathered around a pool of water at the center, circling one another in what looks to be a celebration. It splits open with the slightest push of Lio’s hand, leading them both into a what looks to be a throne room that’s also a training room? It’s large with a bunch of pillows and mats laying around, but at the far end, is what essentially seems to be a throne. Or something where the heads of the Mad Burnish sit and examine their army. A long red carpet leads up to the seats, where two already appear to be sitting. Meis and Gueira - blue and red themed respectively, both with long ornate robes on, lounging in their thrones. Lio leads them along until they’re at the base of those stairs, motioning Galo to stop as he alone ascends the stairs. 

“Boss. I brought the new recruit.” 

The two sitting there - Meis and Gueira - straighten up at Lio’s words, their focus suddenly entirely on Galo. Galo quickly bows, trying to show some sort of respect even though he has no idea what the proper protocol was here. He dares to glance up after a moment, and he sees both of them standing in front of him, startling him and making him jump back. They were so quiet, he didn’t hear them at all! How?!

“So, you’re the newbie eh?” The red one, Gueira, comments, starting to walk around Galo, obviously sizing him up, “Definitely have the cop look about you. You sure you got kicked out, kid? Wouldn’t want to ruin a good career playing with yakuza.”

“Gueira, that’s enough. You know he’s been verified,” The other one, Meis, says, keeping still as he looks Galo over. 

“Yeah but look at him! He just looks like a goody two shoes! He ain’t going to pass for one of us!” 

“And that’s exactly why we need him. Now shush,” Meis scolds, holding out a hand to Galo, “Welcome, Galo Thymos. Excuse my partner here, he’s an dumb ox when it comes down to it. Doesn’t have the best way with words.”

Galo reaches out to shake that hand, trying to ignore the glare he’s getting from Gueira, “It’s alright. I have issues with them too.” 

“Well, you’ll get along with Gueira just fine then. I am Meis, head of Mad Burnish. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” 

“You knew about me?” 

There’s a pause between all of them before Lio shrugs, “I mean, Remi had to set this up anyways. How couldn’t we know? Not like we just pick up random people on the street.” 

Galo pauses before nodding, “Yeah, guess you’re right. Okay so, what now?” 

Meis looks to Lio, “Well, if Lio brought you here, you must be considered cleared by Thyma.” 

“Yeah, cause otherwise rabbit would’ve erased you before you got back to the market!” Gueira replies, patting Galo on the shoulder. 

“Rabbit...wait, Lio? You’re the rabbit zodiac?!” Galo can see the flush that is rising to Lio’s cheeks, as he huffs and looks away. 

“Yeah. What of it?” It’s obvious he’s embarrassed by it, considering how he shrinks under Galo’s gaze. And Galo’s heart aches at seeing him like that, especially when he had been so prideful before. 

“Nothing...that’s just really cool, y’know?” Galo feels a bit sheepish, but turns to Gueira and Meis, “Are you guys zodiacs too?” 

“‘Course we are. Ox here, the brawn of this team!” Gueira accentuates this by flexing, though, Galo’s not sure what exactly he’s flexing. He’s almost as skinny and lanky as Meis is, but he doesn’t comment, simply nodding and then looking to the Boss. Meis simply smiles to him, showing off what looks to be very sharp teeth. 

“Dragon.”

“Dragon? Like...you’re really a dragon?” Galo practically has stars in his eyes as he looks up to Meis, “Can you change into one? Can you breathe fire? Oh my goodness, can you FLY?!”

Meis nervously laughs, trying to wave off some of the questions, “That’s not for you to know right now. Just know - you don’t want to cross me.” 

Suddenly, everything seems darker, and Galo doesn’t know if it’s magic or the fact he’s sure Meis is looming over him. And maybe Gueira too. And Lio is giving a glare that actually sends a shiver through him. For the first time since he’s been here, he’s terrified of what might actually happen to him. 

“You don’t want to cross _any_ of us.” 

“We will make you regret ever being born if you do.” 

The silence that follows only makes their words settle in deeper, and Galo gulps before nodding, looking to all of them nervously. “I...I won’t. Promise.” 

“Wonderful!” Meis smiles again, the terrifying aura around all of them disappearing as he snaps his fingers, dispelling the haze around them. A servant appears out of nowhere, bowing and then looking to Meis, awaiting his orders, “Take our newest recruit to his room. And bring him some dinner as well. He is not to leave his room until morning.” 

“Wha?” 

Lio pets his shoulder, shaking his head, “Just security until your oath is taken, Galo. Don’t worry about it. Listen to the boss.” 

Galo looks between all of them before slightly deflating and nodding, “After that, can I at least look around town?” 

“Lio will be handling you after your oath is taken. He can decide that.”

“WHAT?” Lio’s shout makes Galo jump, “You’re giving me the newbie?! I don’t...Meis! Come on!” 

The blue haired man only laughs, patting Lio on the head, “Rabbit has to keep an eye on something around here. Besides, it seems like you got a good handle on him already. He’s best in your hands.” 

Galo watches as Lio puffs up, almost red in the face, and for a moment, he’s sure that Lio’s going to come to blows over this. He takes a step back along with the servant, meaning to give Mad Burnish the space they need to apparently throw down. But a look is shared between them, and he’s not sure if there’s some sort of weird mind sharing or talking or something going on, but Lio slowly backs down, crossing his arms before he nods. 

“...fine.” 

“It’s settled then. Galo, we will see you in the morning for your oath. Lio will be your handler until we see progress,” Meis summarizes, moving close to Galo and kissing his cheek, “See you in the morning~” 

“Yeah...good night.” It’s Galo’s turn to flush, as he’s slowly lead away, leaving the heads of Mad Burnish behind. There’s one last glance from Lio, and his heart stops for a moment as those lavender eyes focus on him. He swears he can feel something, something electric between them, and it’s tugging him back, wanting to give in to that pull of gravity from that rabbit. But before he can do anything, those doors shut, cutting him off from that gaze and jolting him back to reality. And despite every ounce of his body wanting to run back in, he forces himself to follow the servant, letting the fire cool inside of him as he heads towards the elevator. 

He had to keep it together. 

***

Galo is honestly stunned at the room he’s been put up in - he couldn’t even believe it was a room. This felt more like an apartment with how lush it is, it could even rival his own home. Well, if it wasn’t away from home, that is. He’s settled himself into a plush robe after enjoying the hot tub for far longer than he should have, and finds himself sitting on the small balcony, looking over the underground city. People watching was always one of his favorite pastimes, and now that he’s in a new city with so many different kinds of people, Galo can’t help but just...watch. 

Everything was so different, yet entirely the same as home. The people mill about, a few of them heading into shops with their families, while another pair heads towards the bathhouse, and yet another heading out of the district to what Galo could only assume was home. And from his balcony, he can see just how _different_ each and every part of this city was. There were no sections to the city, instead, it was an intermix for everyone - tree-like buildings were intertwined with mud dunes which were built into the sides of stone houses...they were all connected. A community. 

And that bothers Galo. Everything here seemed just as content as it was in his own district up above, they seemed okay with Mad Burnish and their workings. He could only think that maybe people weren’t aware of just what Mad Burnish was really up to, that they didn’t know what sort of gang they were supporting. If only they knew, maybe they’d turn them in, get them to stop whatever it is they were up to. 

Galo shakes off those thoughts. These things were too big for him right now. He really should just be glad that he got in and Thyma didn’t expose him. Oh, he was going to have to treat her once this was all over, that’s for sure. Either way, the goal now was to just...figure out their army and bring that information to Kray. It wasn’t to impress Mad Burnish. Nor was it to impress Lio. 

Lio. How that name made his heart skip a beat. How those sharp, lavender eyes saw right through him. He liked him and wanted to know him better. And to figure out why they had that chemistry, that familiarity between them. Maybe it was this red string that Thyma had mentioned, though he really had no clue what the hell she meant by that. Red strings, red strings, tying him back to…

“Gah! Enough!” Galo messes his hair up, as if it’s going to remove all the thoughts running around through his head. He needed his mind clear if he was going to sleep and be prepared for the morning. Tomorrow was the big day - he’d be sworn in, be shown around town, maybe even get a mission or job or whatever it is gangs do. 

Curling up into the plush bed, he buries himself in blankets and pillows, trying to get comfortable in this new home away from home. He’d get to go home soon, back to the safety of Promepolis. Back to his normal, non-magical life. 

And the thought haunted him as he finally fell asleep.


	4. Side Story: Mad Burnish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this mostly written when I posted the last chapter, but productivity while quarantined has definitely declined, and I struggled hard with the last part. Hopefully, the voice came out right :)

Once Galo is escorted from the room and the door shut behind him, Gueira and Meis let out a sigh of relief, deflating and relaxing. There’s a sudden snap that echoes through the room, the lights dimming as a magical seal forms around the doors, giving the three of them privacy. 

“Do you really think he’d come back, Boss?” Gueira asks, stretching and rolling his shoulders. 

“There’s always the possibility. He’s an idiot.”

“Do you think he fell for it? Been awhile since I’ve had to play Boss.” 

“You did fine, Meis. He has no idea,” Lio replies, finally removing the jacket he was wearing and tossing it aside. If Galo had been here, he’d noticed the complete change in Lio - his body posture, his tone, and his entire presence is far different from the Rabbit he had been with before. This Lio is far more graceful and wears an aura of danger around him, which is accented by the horns that curl back from his temples. More like elk horns, they point backwards, framing his face as those lavender eyes turn sharp as they look over his partners. 

“He did seem pretty surprised that you said you were Rabbit.” 

“He also thought you were really Dragon. They certainly didn’t teach him about the zodiacs before he was sent over. Practically sent him in blind. It’s like they’re trying to get him killed,” Lio comments, moving over to each of his partners and giving them a soft kiss on the cheek, “You did well. Both of you. Let’s go upstairs.” 

Gueira leads the way, heading to the back of the room where their hidden private elevator is, opening it up and ushering them all in. A quick code is input before he hits the button for their private floor, leaning close to the door as they’re moved upstairs. Being Ox, he was their physical strength, the first line of defense for Mad Burnish. Following him was Meis, the Snake, who was proficient in magic and poisons. Between the two of them, Lio had been unreachable by any who would try and take down the head. And even before the two of them, no one had ever been able to overcome the Dragon. 

“Hey Boss?” Meis’ voice breaks through their thoughts, pulling Lio and Gueira’s attention over to him. 

“Yeah?”

“What did Thyma say?”

Lio pauses, glancing between them as the silence settles in the elevator.

“She said to trust him.”

A sigh of relief comes from either of them, tension relieving from their shoulders. Lio nods his agreement, relaxing back against the wall, arms crossed as he enjoys the silence. 

Once they reach their floor, Gueira does a brief once over before he lets the other two out of the elevator. Their shared room took up the entire top floor of the building, though it was infinite if they needed it to be. Like other Zodiacs, they had their own sections of the Panopticon, each with pocket universes for them to shape and dwell in. Most Zodiacs nowadays only used it as a storage space and did their best to live amongst the people they protected, though it hadn’t always been that way. They had been revered beasts at one point, given powers and status to help guide the world. Some had fallen short in that endeavor, while others had managed to create the underground world they lived in now. It had been for the better to separate magic from the world, erasing their history so none would seek them out, leaving only a few above ground to keep resources flowing between the two. A city all their own, safe and protected from those who would hurt them for their innate powers. 

And Lio - Lio had been born into the role of leader in this city. Rat, being first in the Zodiac should have led the city, but had felt his abilities were best used elsewhere. Ox was better suited to protection, Tiger was gone, as was Rabbit. So it left him to take up the mantle as leader to the underground, which had been difficult but he had grown into the position. Literally and figuratively. And Ox and Snake had stepped up to assist him, keeping the city in line and helping each community as it grew. Sure, not everyone supported the boy leader, but they at least knew he had the best in mind for everyone and - mostly - stayed in line. It was rare anyone got in trouble with Mad Burnish, and Lio hoped it would stay that way. 

They began their normal nightly routine - the boys advising of the everyday happenings in the city while they enjoyed the treated bath waters that was pumped directly into their room. Lio sank into the private onsen, shutting his eyes as he listened quietly to Meis and Gueira’s reports. Full moon would be up soon, so they’d need to set some time aside to prepare their area from the last transformation for the shifters of the city. The cold-blooded creatures would need to rotate housing again, as they would need the sunlight to get back into their normal routines. A gathering of the witch council would need to be accommodated for shortly, as their solstice and other holidays would soon be arriving. Plus the bi-annual Fae visit would be soon, due to the newly wedded royalty. Lio listened quietly as he soaked in the herbal waters, letting the hot water melt his tension from earlier away as he sorted his thoughts. 

Galo Thymos. He was an enigma and an idiot, and Lio didn’t know whether that made him less dangerous or one of the biggest threats to them. Ever since he had entered the Market, he had been different. It had only been minutes and he was able to shake off the spell of the Market; he was able to follow Remi through the labyrinth and properly enter the fighting grounds. And what the hell was that fighting skill? The former cop was way better than he had any right to be, at least, from what Lio knew of his history. 

The worst part of the entire thing was that sense of familiarity that came from being around Galo. It had been difficult not to let that overcome his head, to relax around him as much as he did Meis and Gueira. Galo felt like an old friend that had just come back after a very long vacation, and it was so hard to shake that feeling. He wanted to tell him everything, to have a long meal to catch up with him and his life and everything that was going on. Lio hated it, hated him, and wanted nothing more than to be done with this whole charade. But they needed to find out why the hell he’d been sent in the first place and nip whatever Kray was doing in the bud. 

Kray was a new problem for the city. He had apprehended Tiger when he had been running jobs topside and found out about magic and the underground. They had come to a deal for Tiger’s freedom - and originally, the plan had been to use one another’s resources to assist in areas that were lacking - technology, medical, and so much more. It had been a godsend, and if this had worked out, there could be serious discussions about the beginning of integration. The West already had cities that were intermixed, though they hid that fact from their country governments, since the world wasn’t ready. Small steps, that was the plan for the magical communities, and Lio had his heart on being one of the first for the East. But something went wrong between Tiger and Kray. He didn’t know what, but something soured and ended up with Kray and his thugs attacking and killing Tiger topside. It had been a shock to everyone, and had ended the city’s hopes of moving forward. All routes had to be relocated and resealed from the topside - it had taken weeks of constant work, but they had managed to hide back underground. 

The few people that were still topside reported Kray’s promotion through the political chain, until he was Governor of the city. At that point, he utilized various parts of his private militia to try and make his way back to their city, and has been trying to get in ever since. It was then Mad Burnish set up the vetting system - combat (physical or mental) and then a visit with the seer, and depending on her response, they would either join the city under surveillance or they would have their memories removed and be sent back to Kray. Lio usually included a note with them, a taunt of sorts that he knew would get under Kray’s skin. Anything to get back at the bastard that killed his family and was threatening his people. 

But Galo. They had been tipped off about his infiltration by Remi, which had given them time to prepare for the undercover cop. The Market was the hardest set of tests he could’ve gone through, and yet he made it. He MADE it to him and he was actually a fight and he was way better than he expected him to be. Galo took almost all of this in stride compared to the others that had been sent, which made him far more dangerous. 

And all Lio wanted to do was to sit back and spend time with Galo, to learn more about him and bask in that comfort he provided. It was weird as he knew that he had never known Galo, the blue-haired idiot had never stepped foot in this city before. Yet he felt like Meis and Gueira to him. His stupid smile was so bright, his enthusiasm electric, and his idiotic questions just...endearing. All he wanted to do was punch him and get him the hell out of his city. He couldn’t let himself be compromised by some false feelings of sorts. Lio was a Dragon, he was better than all that. 

“Lio? Lio? Hello, you still there?” 

A slap on his shoulder suddenly pulls him from his thoughts, Lio jumping as he looks up to his lieutenants. 

“Y-yeah. I’m here.” 

Meis smirks, “Alright, what were we just talking about then?”

Lio stares between them, trying to ignore the grins that are spread across their faces. He takes a moment before he huffs, leaning back against the edge of the pool. 

“Well, it obviously wasn’t important enough to remember.”

The two begin to laugh, which only makes Lio sink under the water to hide his embarrassment. He can feel the heat rising to his face as he just finally submerges completely, trying to cool himself and his thoughts down. Lio had to get the idiot out of his head, he wasn’t as important as he thought he was. Once he comes back up for air, he finds the two still staring, though there’s more concern on their faces now than anything else. 

“Lio. Is everything alright?” Meis moves over to Lio’s side, helping move some of Lio’s hair out of his face. 

“Yeah I just...I have a lot on my mind right now. I’m worried about all of this.” 

“Talk to us, Boss. What’s got you concerned?” Gueira slides up next to Lio, nudging him playfully. “Is it that idiot? Or is it Kray again?” 

“All of it. It all seems off to me somehow.” 

Meis moves forward, putting a finger underneath Lio’s jaw and gently lifting to get him to meet his eyes. “Lio. We don’t have to do this.”

“No, it’s fine. We need to put an end to it. I’ll figure out what this idiot is about and use him against Kray. I’m just being paranoid,” Lio takes a deep breath, trying to soothe his nerves enough in hopes that he sounds confident in his own words. 

“You got us, Boss. We’ll be right there with you through this. If it gets bad, we’ll cut it off,” Gueira adds, wrapping an arm around him. “Besides, ain’t nothin’ gotten through to you yet with me and Meis by your side. We got this.”

Another deep breath, accompanied by a nod of assurance, as Lio bites back the doubt. It seems to be enough to convince his partners of his resolution, both of them kissing his cheeks, though Lio grumbles about the affection, huffing as he sinks back into the water. They go back to their conversation before, looping Lio in to the various happenings in the city. Lio only half pays attention this time, enough to keep the two off his back if they ask his input again. But his mind keeps wandering back to…

“Galo.”

Lio’s pulled out of his thoughts by Gueira’s voice, saying _that_ name, and he realizes he’s sitting on their shared bed now, dried and dressed. Meis is tying up his hair, and Gueira is behind him, already sprawled out on his part of the mattress. 

“W-what about Galo?” 

“Are you going to be fine on your own with him? Gueira could go with you if you want. You’re just touring the city tomorrow, right?” Meis asks, starting to turn off the lights about the room. 

“Yeah, it’s just the city. Doubt he’ll try anything with people around. I’ll do my best to avoid being alone with him.” 

Gueira shrugs, “I’ll just tail you for good measure.”

“Why bother asking me if you’re just going to do it anyway?” Lio grumbles, starting to crawl up on the bed, fluffing his pillows before he falls into them. He flips onto his back and watches as the lights start to go out, leaving him staring at the dim ceiling patterns. An arm wraps around his waist, and he turns his head to see Meis slipping into the covers next to him, smiling softly.

“We just want to keep you safe, that’s all, boss. This is new territory for all of us. You shouldn’t be out there scoping this guy,” Meis explains, leaning in to kiss his cheek, “We can’t help it.”

“Yeah boss. We got your back,” Gueira adds, kissing his other cheek. His arm also wraps itself around Lio, and the Dragon finds himself sandwiched between his two right hand men. Partners. Lovers. They were everything to Lio, and he’s sure he wouldn’t be where he was without them. 

As the night settles in, their breathing evens out, and Lio is left to his thoughts between the two of them. He tries not to dwell on Kray, his mind instead drifting back over to Galo. Galo Thymos. The mystery idiot that was caught between the two warring worlds. All with that stupid smile and stupid laugh and stupid everything. 

_“Galo is your destiny, Lio.”_

Thyma’s words echoed in his mind, his stomach twisting at the very thought. He didn’t tell them what Thyma had actually said, only what he could assume she meant. She wouldn’t say something like that and not mean that he couldn’t be trusted, right? Why would she even put it that way? Galo being his destiny? There’s no way an idiot like him would be anything to him, not with how clueless he was in all of this. 

But there’s that smile. That pure excitement when he passed his test, the genuine curiosity at the new world around him, the awe displayed with each reveal. And respect, for any lines he seemed to accidentally cross. He could learn, which is really all he could ask for in anyone. And there’s that dumb, stupid, puppy dog smile of his. 

Lio groans as he covers his face, feeling the warmth as the blush spreads across his skin. Why? Why did he feel this way? Why did he want Thyma’s words to be true? That there _was_ something more. A destiny for the two of them. 

Ugh. None of this was good. Lio tried to ignore the thoughts, but they kept cycling round and round until he was able to fall into a restless sleep. And as he drifted off, he assured himself. 

Tomorrow. Tomorrow they’d figure out Galo Thymos.


End file.
